Rounded Spine

[Freds Edge]

Can anyone chime in on rounding a spine , I'm sure there many ways but I hoping for a little insight as I like the style of this blade and don't want it stuck in the reject wall.

 

[Cody Hofsommer]

I just use the slack portion in my belt and rock it. Practice on a scrap!

 

[John Wilson]

On kitchen knives I use the flat platen. I say kitchen knives because mine generally have a long, fairly straight spine. I hold the knife vertical (tip down) and begin with the spine flat to get my bearings. Then I begin twisting the knife left, right, left, right increasing the angle as the corners wear away. This gives me options. I can just knock off the corners, or I can make the spine completely round. I used to use the slack belt, but I had trouble getting both sides even and not getting dips and waves.

I've seen YouTube videos of people using a waterstone that had been dished with a round file (or maybe the spines of many knives which had gone before) and sawing the spine back and forth.

 

[Justin Presson]

I will be following this thread I would like to start trying that myself.

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[wall e]

I too am interested in different ways to round a spine. I just use the slack portion of my belts with the blade at an angle and light pressure and so far has been minor dips that come out easily during hand sanding.

 

[John Wilson]

I don't want to come off as an expert, I'm not- just an illustration of what I was talking about as far as side to side and lengthwise evenness. It's easy on the flat platen if the spine is fairly straight.

Here's a fully rounded spine. Granted, on a spine this straight Stevie Wonder could do it.

You can see the highlight along the spine. It is very even along the length. I can't do that on a slack belt.

On this one I only wanted to break the sharp edges. This is an example of using the slack belt after the handle was already on. See that little "swoop" at the front of the scales? Had I used the platen before the handle went on that wouldn't be there.

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[John Wilson]

here's a better shot

If you follow the highlight along the spine you can see the swoop at the front on the scales where I was lightening up on the belt so as to avoid hitting the scales with the belt.

You can also see the unevenness along the spine where the angle to the belt, the pressure, or the speed of movement changed. Who knows?


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[wall e]

I do see what you mean it also appears to have left a halo infront of the scales by the spine. (May be just the lighting playing with the camera too) It is a beautiful knife and most people do not scrutinize over the lil things like the maker and collector does.
I was speaking with a local maker who made knives that he sold to collectors and they would use a jewelers glass to examine the finish of a knife to haggle over the final price. I'm currently content just making knives that pay for materials and my time since its a hobby.

 

[John Wilson]

Good eye, Walt. Yeah, this knife was a good example of "stop while you're ahead." It seemed like everything I did to touch up some flaw only caused a different, equally obvious one. This was destined to be a user knife so it was best to find a happy place and then just stop fussing with it. When our only options as knifemakers involve removing more material, there comes a point of no return.

 

[wall e]

I can relate, the handle I did I gave it another look and had to sand one side back to the bare wood because I didn't let the 3rd coat fully harden. Still despite the flaws we can see is a beautiful blade.